#chinova

“Do you know what this means?” Nova’s lips trembled. She knew all too well what this meant, but she doesn’t want to. “Hiro, I’m not ready for this. I-I’m not ready to raise a kid! Not now!” She buried her face into her hands. This can’t be real. Only a few days ago, Nova’s boyfriend —no, ex -- departed towards Snezhnaya for a mission that could very well cost him his life.

Hinari wrapped her arms around her little sister as Nova let out soft sobs. “Do you want to keep the kid?” She asked, rubbing circles on Nova’s back.

“I do, I do, but… I don’t know if I can” Nova returned the embrace as her tears stained Hinari’s shirt. “I’m scared. We don’t even know if he’s going to come back alive, and if he does, what am I gonna tell him?!” She looked up at her sister with red eyes. “We’re not even together anymore.”

Hinari could feel her heart shatter. As a psychiatrist, her job is to help people lose the mental burden on their shoulders. She has seen and heard a bit of any traumatic story before. So it shouldn’t faze her. But seeing her little sister so distraught like this… to say it hurt her would be an understatement.

“Hey, hey hey. Look at me.” She crouched down to Nova's height and cupped her cheek. “Everything is going to be just fine. It’s gonna work out, so don’t stress okay? We’re here to help you. Don’t forget that.”

“Yeah. Whether you want to keep it or not, isn’t important. We will be here for you no matter what.” Hiroshi stood up and walked over to the two women, wrapping his arms around both of them.

———————

“Nova?” Childe opened the door to the kitchen and leaned against the doorframe. Nova was making some coffee and hummed in response. “Yeah, babe? What’s up?” 

Childe frowned. “Can we talk?” Nova turned around and walked up to him. “Of course, is everything okay?” She grabbed his hand and led him to the couch. As she sat down, Childe started to tense up, the feeling of regret already pooling in his stomach. 

“Nova. I think we should break up.” 

Nova froze. 

“…What?”

Before Childe could repeat his words, the young woman set down her mug, hard. “Let’s not do anything rash. Why do you want to break up with me? Did I do something or..?” She didn’t dare to look the other one in the eyes, staring at the floor instead.

The redhead's eyes widened. “Nononono! It has nothing to do with you! Please listen to me first. Okay?” He sat down next to her on the couch and held her hand. 

“Her Majesty assigned a new mission for me, which requires me to go back to Sneznhaya. It’s very dangerous, and can take a lot of time.”

“Aren’t all of your missions dangerous? What makes this one different?” Nova snapped. She couldn’t believe they were about to break up for a small reason. 

Childe sighed. “Nova, listen to me. There is a likely chance that we won’t be seeing each other for years, maybe decades. The chance that I won’t return alive is really high. Are you willing to wait until the end of your life only to find out I’ve been dead all along?” 

She young woman turned her head away, taking a deep breath to stop the tears from forming. She turned back after a few seconds to show that she had failed to hold back her tears. She chuckled at herself. Why is she crying already? He’s still here. Pathetic. 

She knew that there was no way to avoid the mission. If they were to go into hiding, they would only hunt him down and well… get rid of him in their own way. Nova wiped her eyes and turned around to hug her boyfriend, which caused Childe to fall over on his back. He held her tightly as she buried her face in his chest. “When is it?” She asked, sniffling. Childe patted her back softly. “It’s okay. We still have two weeks” he whispered as he pressed a kiss onto her hair. Nova hugged her boyfriend even tighter. “I don’t want you to leave…” 

The ginger propped his arm under his head as he stared blankly at the ceiling. “Me neither, love. I’m sorry.”

————————

Winter in Mondstadt was one of the most magical times of the year. Once the temperature drops, everyone takes out their fluffy coats, gloves or mittens, and scarves. The Cat’s Tail and Angel’s Share have discounts on warm beverages and Good Hunter brings out their seasonal special again, the aromatic scent lingering in the air attracting many customers. The moment the first snowflake falls, kids are running out of their homes bouncing with excitement. 

It’s been a little over seven years since Childe had last stepped into the city of Mondstadt. Although the cold was nothing compared to the icy lands of Sneznhaya, he still wrapped his thick coat tightly around him. Childe had spent the past seven years of his life in the spiral abyss, sent by Her Majesty the Tsaritsa to seek the truth of this world. He had to leave his beloved behind in Mondstadt and regretted his decision for a long time. According to the Fatui, he was getting too distracted and needed to be reminded of what he actually was: a killing machine.

Although he wasn’t born nor raised in Mondstadt, the ginger could feel a wave of nostalgia hit him in the face. It reminded him of the moments he’d spent with his ex-lover Nova. 

Talking about Nova, he was kind of hoping to see her again. All communication had been cut off, so he had no idea how she was doing. He subconsciously searched through the streets for any signs of his past lover but was disappointed when he couldn’t find anything. Has she moved on? Maybe she’s found someone new and is on a date with them? The fatuus sighed as he made his way up the stairs to the statue of Barbatos, the Anemo Archon. 

Just as he turned at the top of the stairs, something bumped into him. He looked down and it seemed to be a small, dark-haired girl with a lighter strand in her bangs. The little girl falls back on her butt and immediately stands up. She quickly yelled, “Sorry mister!” And ran away. 

Childe was just processing this when a silver-haired man walked over with an apologetic expression. “Hey man, sorry about that. She’s just a kid and-“ the man’s eyes widened for a second when he took a better look. “Childe? You’re alive?” 

It was Hiroshi. Childe didn’t expect to see him here actually, he didn’t know how he should react to seeing the brother of his ex seven years after they broke up. He could only smile awkwardly. “Uh, hi..” 

Neither of the two men knew what to do or to say, so the next minute or so is spent in awkward silence. “So um, who was that girl just now?” The ginger asked. Hiroshi smiled proudly and said “That’s my favorite and only niece. She’s cute right?” Childe nodded absentmindedly. Wait, niece? Nova is the only one with dark hair… So she has already moved on. His heart broke a little, but then again, it is to be expected. Who would wait 7 years for an ex-lover? She must’ve already found someone else. The little bit of hope he had faded away quickly.

“Do you want to see her? I’m sure she’ll be glad to have you back.” Hiroshi pointed with his thumb to a group of people, among which Childe could recognize the silhouette of his past lover. He nodded, maybe a little too eager, but he was trying so hard to not run over to hug her and never let go. 

“I’ve told you, you need to be more careful! Have you apologized to the man?” Children are so cute and so precious, but dang are they a pain sometimes. Nova sighed as she checked her child for any injuries. The kid grinned brightly. “Yep! Uncle Hiro also went to talk to him! Look! He’s over there!” Nova smiled. “That’s great, now off you go! Watch out this time okay?” The little girl hurriedly ran over to her friends as her mother watched her with tenderness in her eyes. She took a glance in the direction of her brother and—

Wait.

Nova froze. Her smile faltered as she turned back to stare at the two men approaching. One was her brother, while the other one was someone whom she assumed was dead. 

It seems that Hinari, who was standing next to her, also noticed. “Nova? Is that Childe?” She whispered. Nova shook her head in disbelief. Wasn’t he dead? She just assumed that he died because well… it’s been seven years since she last even heard of him. It was impossible to move her body or to say anything at all. She could only stare in shock as the two men approached.

Childe saw the shocked expression and felt a wave of pity wash over him. It was all his fault for not at least letting her know that he was alive. He assumed that he would never be able to see her again, so he had no idea how to react or what to do. Maybe he shouldn’t have gone back to Mondstadt. Maybe it would have been better for both him and Nova to never see each other again. It would only hurt her more than she already was. Not to mention that it might stir up some unnecessary trouble for the couple and possibly their kid… Childe felt his chest tighten. He recognized this feeling but… he couldn’t possibly be jealous. He shouldn’t be. That’s just unreasonable and unfair. It’s been seven years. He should be over this already, not holding onto it like he’s a little kid. The ginger waved with a polite smile on his face. He didn’t want to overwhelm the woman in front of him. “Hello there Nova. I hope you’ve been doing well.” He held his hand out front for a handshake, but instead of shaking his hand, the woman just stood there, still staring at him as if he was a ghost. The expression on her face was a mix of fear, sadness, a little anger, and most importantly, disbelief. 

She snapped out of her trance when her sister, who was standing next to her, nudged her with her elbow. "Woa, Uhm, hello to you too?" What was she supposed to say? "I'm doing well", "Where the fuck have you been?" or "You're alive?"  What ARE you supposed to say when your presumably dead ex shows up out of nowhere? She finally shook his hand. Tears started forming at the corners of her eyes, but she successfully stopped them from falling. 

"Welcome back? Aah, I'm sorry. I'm not quite sure how to react." She laughed softly, blinking the tears away. Now that she sees Childe up close, she starts to notice little changes in his appearance. His skin didn't look at delicate as before anymore, and his hair had gotten paler. His eyes though stayed the same as she remembered. Maybe it's just the way that it feels like they can pierce through anything, but Nova could swear that nothing had changed if she saw only the eyes. 

Childe smiled, although it didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's okay. I can't blame you. I wouldn't know what to do either. Is there anything I've missed these years? For example..." He gestured to the dark-haired kid, who was playing in the snow further away. 

"Oh, yes! That's Natasha, my daughter." Nova's face lights up, showing just how much she adored her lovely little girl. "She's turning seven in two months. She's cute, right?" She smiled tenderly, her eyes full of love. 

She’s turning seven? Childe quickly did the math. If she’s six now, then she was born less than a year after he’d left… Huh. 

He felt his stomach twist, but couldn’t quite describe what he was feeling. It was not pleasant, was it some variation of anger? He shook his head mentally. She wouldn’t do that to him.. would she? 

Before he could fully process his thoughts and say something, the little girl ran up to her mother. “Mama, do you know that man?” 

Nova smiled. “Yes, sweetie. He’s an.. old friend of mine. Why don’t you go say hi to him?” Natasha nodded and turned to run up to the ginger man. “Hello, mister! Who are you?” She asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity. It reminded Childe of when he first met Nova. The same eyes and excited expression. It made him smile.

“Hey there, kid. As your mom said, we’re old friends. What’s your name?” He crouched down to her height and reached out to pat her head, but hesitated and retracted his hand. “My name is Natasha. What’s your name mister?” the kid asked. “You can call me Tartaglia. Say, do you like the snow?” Natasha nodded. “Yup! It looks so pretty! Mama says that it’s too cold for her, but she says that my dad likes the snow too!” 

There it is. The mention of the unknown father. Childe's smile stiffened but since he didn’t want to come off as an asshole, he refrained from asking who he was. “Really? Your dad likes the snow too?  That’s nice,” The kid grinned in excitement from talking about her father. “He’s so cool! You know what my mom told me?” She shifted to whisper in his ear. “My mom said that he was so strong, he could take out 5 ruin guards at the same time! Isn’t that just awesome?” At this point, Natasha is already jumping up and down from the hype.  “I wanna be just like him when I grow up!”

Childe smiled again, patting her softly on the shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll be girlie” 

Natasha grinned when a blonde boy ran over and told her to “Come quick! The snowman is almost done!” The girl nodded and followed him to another group of kids.

The ginger stood up and looked at Nova, who looked at the ground blankly. “So ah, if I may ask… Just who is Natasha's father?” 

Nova chuckled awkwardly, while Hiroshi, who was standing at the side the entire time, crossed his arms and finally spoke up. “Well, if it wasn’t obvious already, it’s you.”

…

“...What?” 

The anemo user sighed. “It’s you. Childe Tartaglia whatever you use as your name, you are the father.” 

Whoa whoa whoa. Wait. Pause. “What- What do you mean I’m the father?!” The man took a step back in shock. Hiroshi shrugged. “I said what I said,” Childe turned to look at Nova, only to see her slowly nodding her head. He didn’t know what to say. How to react, how to feel. He’s got a kid? And he didn’t know about her? He can’t do anything properly, can he? Childe chuckled internally at his patheticness. Of course he has to get distracted, be forced to leave the love of his life, hurt her in the process, and fail to be a proper brother AND father. What a piece of shit. “I… Archons.”

Before he could say anything acceptable, a man with brown hair walked over and whispered something to him.

“Well! I think I’ve got to get going. People are waiting for me.” He looks at Nova. “You wanna, uh, catch up in the tavern after I’m done with my work? Only if you have time, of course.” Nova smiled at him and nodded, which he returned before leaving the group. 

—---------------

Nova sat down at a table in the dimly lit tavern, waiting nervously for the ginger to show up. She felt like a weight had just been lifted off of her shoulders. He knows now. There isn’t really a reason to hide anything from him anymore. There wasn’t even a reason in the first place. She kept looking at the door every time someone would enter, silently hoping that it was the person she’d been waiting for. 

When Childe finally arrived, she automatically stood up but didn’t know how to greet him. “Hey… Glad you’re here” 

The ginger took off his coat and sat down across from her. The question he’d been aching to ask all day was finally going to get its answer. “I’m happy to see you as well. I don’t know how to say this without sounding like an asshole, but… Are you dating anyone else right now?” Nova looked away, which Childe took as a sign that she did in fact, move on. He swallowed thickly as he felt whatever hope he had left disappear. It was naive to think that she would wait for him. What was he even thinking?

“Would you be mad if I say that I’m not?” Nova suddenly spoke up. It was actually more like mumbling, but clear enough for him to hear. He wanted to smile but held himself back. “Oh no, of course not! I was just wondering if Natasha had a father figure or something since… well, I was obviously not there.” She took a sip of the coffee she’d ordered. “The closest person to a father figure to her would probably be Hiro or Tobias since they helped me out the most after I gave birth to her.” the hydro user folded her arms together. It wasn’t the happiest memory she had, but it was important to her. “The first few weeks were the hardest for me. Mentally. To say that I was terrified was an understatement.” Childe felt his heart break. He had no idea that she went through such a horrific experience on her own and he wasn’t even there to support her. “I-I’m so sorry Nova. I’m so sorry you had to go through that—”

He was cut off by a tight embrace. Nova had stood up and hugged him close. “I’m just glad you’re alive. You don’t know how many times I’ve prayed for you to be safe.” Her voice cracked as she tried to whisper. It’s a good thing that the tavern is quite busy at this time of day. Childe returned the embrace with a heavy heart. He missed her so much, it was unreal.  He held her close and they stayed like that for a while. Just them in each other's arms and the calming background noise of the tavern. 

After a little bit, she pulled away and sat down in the chair next to him. “So, about Natasha…” The ginger spoke up.

“Yes?” 

“Was it difficult? Financially, I mean” He asked. Although he wasn’t present in his daughter’s life, he feels like he should do something. 

“It was a little difficult at first. I had to quit my job as a knight because it was too physically demanding and wore me out.” She glanced at her coat hanging from the chair behind her. “So now I make custom outfits and clothing for commissions. It’s also kind of been my childhood dream, so I’m pretty content for now.” She said with a smile.

Out of nowhere, Childe grabbed a pouch of mora and slid it over to Nova, who stared at it in confusion. 

“And what is that supposed to be?”

“Child support for those past seven years.” He chuckled at his own words.

Nova looked at him, unimpressed but still cracking a smile. “Your first dad joke? Seriously?” 

————————

The woman closed the door after waving her sister goodbye. Hinari had been babysitting Natasha while Nova was in the tavern catching up with the Fatuus. 

She walked upstairs into her bedroom and changed into a pair of pyjamas before sitting down on her bed. This is when the realization hits her. 

Childe is alive. He’s safe. He made it. All those nights of begging the archons paid off. It wasn’t a dream. He is alive and he’s safe and sound. 

Nova didn’t realize she was crying until a teardrop fell onto her lap.

“Mama?” A small voice rang in the hall. Then, the head of a child peeks out from behind the door. Nova quickly wiped her tears and watched her kid walking up to her with a stuffed animal. “Yes, sweetheart? What’s wrong?” 

Natasha climbed onto her mother's lap and looked up at her face. “Why are you crying? Are you sad?”

Nova shook her head with a smile. “I’m not sad baby. I’m just really happy all of a sudden.” The kid nodded and leaned on her chest. “Okay then, can I sleep with you tonight?” Nova hummed a ‘yes’ and planted a small kiss on her daughter's forehead.